As a child there was a certain type of movies that my siblings and I (but especially my brother) loved to watch, I don’t think our parents liked them just as much but we definitely did. Matilda, Home Alone, Dennis the Menace, I am sure you can see the pattern here: an inquistive, curious, adventurous (sometimes a little naughty) child and one or more bad guys that have to be stopped in their evil plans. Based on the best selling UK book series about Horrid Henry the newly released DVD Horrid Henry: The Movie proves that this theme, albeit modernised and updated, is still hugely popular and I can totally see why.

Henry, nicknamed Horrid Henry by his teacher Miss Battleaxe, thinks he is way too cool for school. He always comes up with new excuses for not doing his homework and really all he wants to do is be a rockstar. Henry’s antics do not only get him into trouble with the headteacher, they cause him to lose his spot in the talent show, get Miss Battleaxe fired and they even put the school at risk of closure. No more school sounds like fun, or not…?

The two school inspectors seem very keen to close down the school and for all the children to be sent to the exclusive, expensive school run by a nasty head master, what do they have to go gain from it? Henry’s brother Peter and his teacher Miss Lovely discover that the school inspectors are being paid to close the school, and Henry realises he doesn’t want his school to be closed down after all so he needs to come up with a plan.

Henry, his brother Peter and Henry’s enemy-turned- partner in crime Moody Margaret decide that Henry has no option but to fight his way back into the talent show, get famous and hopefully in doing so prevent the school from closing down. Henry and his band the ‘Zero Zombies’ sneak in and win but sadly his winning performance does not have the desired effect.

The perfect solution arises when Henry receives an invitation for the tv show 2 Cool 4 School. If he could win the big cash prize they could pay the corrupt school inspectors and keep the school doors open. But winning doesn’t come easy, first Henry has to pass a range of difficult challenges and resist temptation. In the final round he has to meet the Terrible Teacher who nominated him, miss Battleaxe, he is crowned ‘2 Cool 4 School’ and wins the big prize. But will Henry be in time to stop his school from closing down?

Horrid Henry is hugely popular in the UK with millions of Horrid Henry books sold (Horrid Henry is the most successful children’s literary character after Harry Potter), the Horrid Henry tv series a big hit and a wide range of other Horrid Henry products available to fill the need for more adventures. The real fans will love this Horrid Henry’s Annual 2012 activity book filled with 73 pages of puzzles, craft and other fun Henry activities.

Overal I really enjoyed Horrid Henry: The Movie, the cast is great and this is a great movie for a rainy afternoon (possibly not the day before school starts!). Although G rated I think Horrid Henry: The Movie is most suited to older children who can appreciate and understand the funny side of the story. I know my nearly 4-year olds would not understand (and maybe even be frightened by) the ‘scary’ school teachers, the tv show and the zombie artist in the talent show.

To find out more about Horrid Henry The Movie, released by Transmission Films Australia, visit www.transmissionfilms.com.au.

For your chance to win a Horrid Henry prize pack (Horrid Henry DVD and Horrid Henry Annual 2012 activity book) answer the following question: What was your best excuse for not being able to hand in your homework?

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Competition ends July 6, 2012. Sorry, Australian entries only. By entering you agree to our Terms & Conditions.